Aquaman, now a father to Arthur Curry Jr., is trying to find a balance in being a father and the King of Atlantis. Black Manta, driven blind by revenge, sets out to track down the mythic Black Trident, a weapon with ancient powers. As Black Manta closes in, Aquaman must turn to the former King of Atlantis – Orm, to forge an alliance. Together, they will protect the kingdom and Aquaman’s family.
The underwater comic book movie held its US premiere on December 19, 2023 at The Grove in Los Angeles. The film was released domestically on December 22, 2023. Originally, ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ was scheduled to be released on December 16, 2022. The film’s release was changed three times due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the reshuffling of the studio’s release dates.
‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ has a runtime of 2 hours and 4 minutes. If you missed the movie on the big screen, it is now available to rent or purchase on VOD platforms such as Apple TV, Prime Video, Google Play, YouTube, and Vudu. Prices range from $19.99 for rental or $24.99 for purchase.
Since the first ‘Aquaman‘ film is available to stream on Max, it is likely the sequel will eventually land on the streaming platform. However, an official date has not been released or confirmed by Warner Bros Discovery.
For fans of physical media, you’re in luck. ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ is now available for pre-order. Prices range from $19.99 for DVD, $24.96 for Blu-ray, and $32.99 for 4K UHD. There’s also an option to purchase a two-film collection, which will include the first film ‘Aquaman’ and the sequel ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.’ for $32.99. The official release date for home release is March 12, 2024.
To go up against Black Manta, who wields the power of the Black Trident, Aquaman needed to team up with his brother (and former King of Atlantis), Orm. Although an unlikely pair, Jason Momoa and Patrick Wilson made for a great duo screen, whether it be brotherly witty banters or coordinated fight scenes. Their chemistry amplified the movie.
‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ is the final movie of the previous DECU era. Current DC co-chairs James Gunn and Peter Safran are working towards their new vision for DC. The two previously announced ‘Superman Legacy,’ a film that will be a part of the new DC Universe Chapter One, ‘Gods and Monsters.’ Other DC films, such as ‘Joker: Folie á Deux’ will exist in Elseworld.
This could mean that there’s a slight chance we can see Momoa’s Aquaman return in some capacity, as Elseworld stories do not connect to the main canon of the new DCU.
Gunn and Safran introduced their new DC slate a year ago and have announced that ‘Superman Legacy’ has started production, and the ‘Creature Commandos’ episodes are being finished, with the series being released later this year. Gunn also teases upcoming projects and says, “incredible talents are being attached to new projects, planned & unplanned.”
“Today, ‘Superman Legacy’ is about to start production, episodes of ‘Creature Commandos’ are being finished that will release later this year, at least 2 more projects are gearing up to go in the next couple months, amazing scripts keep coming in, & incredible talent are being attached to new projects, planned & unplanned. Thank you!!”
Watch the official trailers for ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ below:
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The official synopsis for ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ is below:
After failing to defeat Aquaman the first time, Black Manta wields the power of the mythic Black Trident to unleash an ancient and malevolent force. Hoping to end his reign of terror, Aquaman forges an unlikely alliance with his brother, Orm, the former king of Atlantis. Setting aside their differences, they join forces to protect their kingdom and save the world from irreversible destruction.
Jason Momoa in ‘Once Upon a Time in Venice.’ Photo: RLJ Entertainment.
Steve Ford (Bruce Willis) is a private detective in Venice Beach, Calif., who’s good with the ladies, bad with the punches and wild about his dog Buddy. When local thugs steal Buddy, Ford turns to Spyder (Momoa), their devious leader, and forges an unlikely alliance. With help from his best friend (John Goodman), Steve pulls out the big guns to retrieve Spyder’s stolen cash and cocaine and save Buddy.
Nate Johnson (Cedric the Entertainer), a Los Angeles man estranged from his wife (Vanessa Williams) and three children, decides to reconnect with his family by taking them with him on a road trip to Missouri for a big family reunion.
Arlen (Suki Waterhouse) is sent to a fenced-off wasteland where undesirables are exiled to when she is kidnapped by a group of cannibals. She escapes and ends up on a journey to reunite a missing girl with her father.
Fuelled by his restored faith in humanity and inspired by Superman’s (Henry Cavill) selfless act, Bruce Wayne (Ben Affleck) and Diana Prince (Gal Gadot) assemble a team of metahumans consisting of Barry Allen (Ezra Miller), Arthur Curry (Momoa) and Victor Stone (Ray Fisher) to face the catastrophic threat of Steppenwolf (Ciaran Hinds) and the Parademons who are on the hunt for three Mother Boxes on Earth.
(L to R) Isabela Merced and Jason Momoa in ‘Sweet Girl.’ Photo: Netflix.
A man (Momoa) vows to bring justice to those responsible for his wife’s (Adria Arjona) death while protecting the only family he has left, his daughter (Isabela Merced).
While Native American Robert Wolf (Momoa) is being pursued by the FBI for having taken the law into his own hands, when his mother was raped and killed on their reservation he crosses paths with Cash (Robert Homer Mollohan), a down and out musician who is coping with the end of his marriage. An unlikely friendship develops, as they ride together towards the Teton mountain range, where Wolf will spread his mothers ashes.
Six young computer hackers sent to work on a derelict space freighter, are forced to match wits with a vengeful artificial intelligence that would kill to be human.
The coming-of-age story of Cayden Richards (Lucas Till). Forced to hit the road after the murder of his parents, Cayden wanders lost without purpose… Until he meets a certifiable lunatic named Wild Joe (John Piper-Ferguson) who sets him on a path to the ominous town of Lupine Ridge to hunt down the truths of his history. But in the end| who’s really hunting whom?
When his attempt to save his family inadvertently alters the future, Barry Allen (Ezra Miller) becomes trapped in a reality in which General Zod (Michael Shannon) has returned and there are no Super Heroes to turn to. In order to save the world that he is in and return to the future that he knows, Barry’s only hope is to race for his life. But will making the ultimate sacrifice be enough to reset the universe?
Black Manta (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II), still driven by the need to avenge his father’s death and wielding the power of the mythic Black Trident, will stop at nothing to take Aquaman (Momoa) down once and for all. To defeat him, Aquaman must turn to his imprisoned brother Orm (Patrick Wilson), the former King of Atlantis, to forge an unlikely alliance in order to save the world from irreversible destruction.
(L to R) Marlow Barkley and Jason Momoa in ‘Slumberland.’ Photo: Netflix.
Slumberland takes audiences to a magical new place, a dreamworld where precocious Nemo (Marlow Barkley) and her eccentric companion Flip (Momoa) embark on the adventure of a lifetime. After her father Peter (Kyle Chandler) is unexpectedly lost at sea, young Nemo’s idyllic Pacific Northwest existence is completely upended when she is sent to live in the city with her well-meaning but deeply awkward uncle Phillip (Chris O’Dowd). Her new school and new routine are challenging by day but at night, a secret map to the fantastical world of Slumberland connects Nemo to Flip, a rough-around-the-edges but lovable outlaw who quickly becomes her partner and guide. She and Flip soon find themselves on an incredible journey traversing dreams and fleeing nightmares, where Nemo begins to hope that she will be reunited with her father once again.
Sylvester Stallone in ‘Bullet to the Head.’ Photo: Warner Bros.
After watching their respective partners die, a cop (Sung Kang) and a hitman (Sylvester Stallone) form an alliance in order to bring down their common enemy (Momoa).
2019’s ‘The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part.’ Photo: Warner Bros.
It’s been five years since everything was awesome and the citizens are facing a huge new threat: LEGO DUPLO® invaders from outer space, wrecking everything faster than they can rebuild.
Jason Momoa in ‘Conan the Barbarian.’ Photo: Lionsgate.
A quest that begins as a personal vendetta for the fierce Cimmerian warrior soon turns into an epic battle against hulking rivals, horrific monsters, and impossible odds, as Conan (Momoa) realizes he is the only hope of saving the great nations of Hyboria from an encroaching reign of supernatural evil.
(L to R) Ben Affleck and Henry Cavill in ‘Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.’ Photo: Warner Bros.
Fearing the actions of a god-like Super Hero left unchecked, Gotham City’s own formidable, forceful vigilante takes on Metropolis’s most revered, modern-day savior, while the world wrestles with what sort of hero it really needs. And with Batman (Ben Affleck) and Superman (Henry Cavill) at war with one another, a new threat quickly arises, putting mankind in greater danger than it’s ever known before.
Jason Momoa as Dante in ‘Fast X’, directed by Louis Leterrier.
Over many missions and against impossible odds, Dom Toretto (Vin Diesel) and his family have outsmarted, out-nerved and outdriven every foe in their path. Now, they confront the most lethal opponent they’ve ever faced: A terrifying threat emerging from the shadows of the past who’s fueled by blood revenge, and who is determined to shatter this family and destroy everything—and everyone—that Dom loves, forever.
Jason Momoa in ‘Zack Snyder’s Justice League.’ Photo: Warner Bros.
Determined to ensure Superman’s (Henry Cavill) ultimate sacrifice was not in vain, Bruce Wayne (Ben Affleck) aligns forces with Diana Prince (Gal Gadot) with plans to recruit a team of metahumans to protect the world from an approaching threat of catastrophic proportions. The task proves more difficult than Bruce imagined, as each of the recruits must face the demons of their own pasts to transcend that which has held them back, allowing them to come together, finally forming an unprecedented league of heroes. Now united, Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman (Momoa), Cyborg (Ray Fisher), and The Flash (Ezra Miller) may be too late to save the planet from Steppenwolf (Ciarán Hinds), DeSaad (Peter Guinness), and Darkseid (Ray Porter) and their dreadful intentions.
Jason Momoa as Duncan Idaho in ‘Dune.’ Photo: Warner Bros.
Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet), a brilliant and gifted young man born into a great destiny beyond his understanding, must travel to the most dangerous planet in the universe to ensure the future of his family and his people. As malevolent forces explode into conflict over the planet’s exclusive supply of the most precious resource in existence-a commodity capable of unlocking humanity’s greatest potential-only those who can conquer their fear will survive.
(L to R) Jason Momoa and Amber Heard in ‘Aquaman.’ Photo: Warner Bros.
Once home to the most advanced civilization on Earth, Atlantis is now an underwater kingdom ruled by the power-hungry King Orm (Patrick Wilson). With a vast army at his disposal, Orm plans to conquer the remaining oceanic people and then the surface world. Standing in his way is Arthur Curry (Momoa), Orm’s half-human, half-Atlantean brother and true heir to the throne.
The DC Extended Universe began a decade ago with ‘Man of Steel‘ but will officially come to an end on December 22nd when the final DCEU movie, ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom,’is released in theaters.
To honor the conclusion of the DCEU and the release of ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom,’ Moviefone is ranking every DCEU movie ever made!
However, since ‘Zack Snyder’s Justice League‘ (the reedited version of 2017’s ‘Justice League‘) is not considered cannon, we will not include it. We are also only focusing on the DCEU films, so we won’t be including HBO Max‘s ‘Peacemaker‘ either.
(L to R) Jason Momoa, Gal Gadot, and Ray Fisher in ‘Justice League.’
Fuelled by his restored faith in humanity and inspired by Superman’s (Henry Cavill) selfless act, Bruce Wayne (Ben Affleck) and Diana Prince (Gal Gadot) assemble a team of metahumans consisting of Barry Allen (Ezra Miller), Arthur Curry (Jason Momoa) and Victor Stone (Ray Fisher) to face the catastrophic threat of Steppenwolf (Ciarán Hinds) and the Parademons who are on the hunt for three Mother Boxes on Earth.
A secret government agency led by Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) recruits some of the most dangerous incarcerated super-villains (including Will Smith as Deadshot and Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn) to form a defensive task force. Their first mission: save the world from the apocalypse and kill the Joker (Jared Leto).
Gal Gadot as Diana Prince/Wonder Woman in ‘Wonder Woman 1984.’
A botched store robbery places Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) in a global battle against a powerful and mysterious ancient force that puts her powers in jeopardy. Also starring Chris Pine as Steve Trevor, Kristen Wiig as Barbara Minerva/Cheetah, and Pedro Pascal as Maxwell Lord.
Billy Batson (Asher Angel and Zachary Levi) and his foster siblings, who transform into superheroes by saying “Shazam!”, are forced to get back into action and fight the Daughters of Atlas (Helen Mirren, Lucy Liu and Rachel Zegler), who they must stop from using a weapon that could destroy the world.
When his attempt to save his family inadvertently alters the future, Barry Allen (Ezra Miller) becomes trapped in a reality in which General Zod (Michael Shannon) has returned and there are no Super Heroes to turn to. In order to save the world that he is in and return to the future that he knows, Barry’s only hope is to race for his life. But will making the ultimate sacrifice be enough to reset the universe?
Black Manta (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II), still driven by the need to avenge his father’s death and wielding the power of the mythic Black Trident, will stop at nothing to take Aquaman (Jason Momoa) down once and for all. To defeat him, Aquaman must turn to his imprisoned brother Orm (Patrick Wilson), the former King of Atlantis, to forge an unlikely alliance in order to save the world from irreversible destruction.
Nearly 5,000 years after he was bestowed with the almighty powers of the Egyptian gods—and imprisoned just as quickly—Black Adam (Dwayne Johnson) is freed from his earthly tomb, ready to unleash his unique form of justice on the modern world and battle the Justice Society, including Hawkman (Aldis Hodge) and Dr. Fate (Pierce Brosnan), in the process.
Recent college grad Jaime Reyes (Xolo Mariduena) returns home full of aspirations for his future, only to find that home is not quite as he left it. As he searches to find his purpose in the world, fate intervenes when Jaime unexpectedly finds himself in possession of an ancient relic of alien biotechnology: the Scarab.
(L to R) Jack Dylan Grazer and Zachary Levi in 2019’s ‘Shazam!’
Teenager Billy Batson (Asher Angel) is given the ability to become an adult superhero (Zachary Levi) in times of need with a single magic word. Also starring Jack Dylan Grazer as Frederick “Freddy” Freeman, Djimon Hounsou as the Wizard Shazam, and Mark Strong as Dr. Thaddeus Sivana.
A young boy learns that he has extraordinary powers and is not of this earth. As a young man, he journeys to discover where he came from and what he was sent here to do. But the hero in him must emerge if he is to save the world from annihilation and become the symbol of hope for all mankind.
The movie stars Henry Cavill as Clark Kent/Kal-El/Superman, Amy Adams as Lois Lane, and Michael Shannon as General Zod.
Ben Affleck as Batman in 2016’s ‘Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.’
Fearing the actions of a god-like Super Hero left unchecked, Gotham City’s own formidable, forceful vigilante takes on Metropolis’s most revered, modern-day savior, while the world wrestles with what sort of hero it really needs.
And with Batman (Ben Affleck) and Superman (Henry Cavill) at war with one another, a new threat quickly arises, putting mankind in greater danger than it’s ever known before. Also featuring Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor, and Jeremy Irons as Alfred Pennyworth.
(L to R) Rosie Perez, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Margot Robbie, Ella Jay Basco and Jurnee Smollett-Bell in ‘Birds of Prey.’ Credit: Claudette Barius/Warner Bros.
Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie) joins forces with a singer (Jurnee Smollett-Bell as Dinah Lance/Black Canary), an assassin (Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Helena Bertinelli/The Huntress) and a police detective (Rosie Perez as Renee Montoya) to help a young girl (Ella Jay Basco as Cassandra Cain) who had a hit placed on her after she stole a rare diamond from a crime lord (Ewan McGregor as Roman Sionis/Black Mask).
An Amazon princess (Gal Gadot) comes to the world of Man in the grips of the First World War to confront the forces of evil and bring an end to human conflict. Also starring Chris Pine as Steve Trevor and David Thewlis as Ares.
Once home to the most advanced civilization on Earth, Atlantis is now an underwater kingdom ruled by the power-hungry King Orm (Patrick Wilson). With a vast army at his disposal, Orm plans to conquer the remaining oceanic people and then the surface world. Standing in his way is Arthur Curry (Jason Momoa), Orm’s half-human, half-Atlantean brother and true heir to the throne.
(L to R) Margot Robbie, Daniela Melchior, Idris Elba, Sylvester Stallone, and David Dastmalchian in ‘The Suicide Squad’
Welcome to Belle Reve, the prison where the worst Super-Villains are kept and where they will do anything to get out, even join the super-secret Task Force X. Today’s assignment? Assemble a collection of cons, including Bloodsport (Idris Elba), Peacemaker (John Cena), Ratcatcher 2 (Daniela Melchior), King Shark (Sylvester Stallone), and everyone’s favorite psycho, Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie).
Now arm them heavily and drop them on the enemy-infused island of Corto Maltese. Trekking through a jungle teeming with militant adversaries and guerrilla forces at every turn, the Squad is on a search-and-destroy mission with only Colonel Rick Flag (Joel Kinnaman) on the ground to make them behave, and Amanda Waller’s (Viola Davis) government techies in their ears, tracking their every movement.
Directed once again by James Wan (who made the billion-plus success that was the first ‘Aquaman’), it arrives following a wave of delays and changes. So, does the sequel live up to the silly-but-fun original?
Regrettably, we must answer a solid no to the question. ‘The Lost Kingdom’ feels more like a senior handing in a sloppy work project, little concerned with how it’ll be received.
This is superhero storytelling on autopilot, another world-threatening situation, another rote test for the hero, another villain with even less shading than he had in the first movie. And fairly shocking given the people involved and how they managed last time.
Written once again by David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick, based on a story by not just director Wan but also Momoa and his producing partner Thomas Pa’a Sibbett, this is the sort of film that makes you wonder just why it took so many people to come up with a movie screenplay this basic.
Mired in some very obvious tropes and storylines, ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ is really just the 7500th telling of the “hero tested by returning villain who has found some dark ancient power to help his cause, forcing the protagonist to team up with another former antagonist to save the world”. And if you felt me falling asleep as I wrote that, imagine what I went through during the movie.
This is a film that borrows so heavily from other, better movies –– a dab of ‘The Matrix’ (in Black Manta’s squid-like attack craft), a splash of ‘The Lord of the Rings’ (the backstory for the ancient power at the heart of the story) and just a sprinkling of ‘Black Panther’ (both in Arthur’s clash with someone who feels they should have his job and in a way we won’t explore here).
Aside from a callback to the drumming octopus known as Topo (an element from the comics that served as a one-off joke in the first movie but is here revealed to be an intelligence agent and a source of more occasional humor in this one) there is very little that feels at all fresh or truly interesting here.
The whole affair is tired and repetitive, the treatment of the story beyond rudimentary and the drama only really serving to stitch together set pieces that themselves come across as several different variations on the idea of Aquaman and Patrick Wilson’s Orm running from things or punching them.
Wan, meanwhile, gets to inject some of his usual horror overtones into the movie –– one or two sequences work (such as Black Manta showing up at Aquaman’s father’s house in darkness after he has conspired to shut off the power). But in general, let down by varied quality of the visual effects (for a film that took this long to finish, you have to worry about some sequences that look like they’re from the theme park version of the movie), this is certainly among his lesser movies.
The re-shoots and changes that happened along the way clearly had an effect, and most of what still works about the movie is by sheer luck rather than design.
If there is any real saving grace in the movie, it’s Momoa’s committed performance as the leading man, full of wisecracks (even if he does start to sound like Robert Downey Jr’s Iron Man at times) and finding fun chemistry with Wilson’s Orm.
For his part, Wilson gives good snark, fully embracing the idea of the frustrated ruler who can’t stand the doofus who is on what he sees as his rightful throne.
Elsewhere? Poor Yahya Abdul-Mateen II is reduced to an afterthought as a villain, who has his vengeful mission but very little else to do. At his side is Randall Park as scientist Dr. Stephen Shin, making the most of a nebbishy stock character and scoring one or two laughs.
And the rest of the heroic characters are barely there –– Temuera Morrison as Aquaman’s father Tom has a couple of solid scenes with his son and grandson, but you have to wonder why Nicole Kidman bothered showing up again as Momoa’s character’s mother beyond a contract and a payday.
Coming out even worse, though, is Amber Heard, who occasionally appears to be added in through visual effects and beyond one helpful moment, has so little to do you can understand Heard’s concerns that her character has been reduced to nearly nothing.
As an ending to the DC universe in its pre-Gunn era, this is like the mess of sticky drinks left on the floor after a party –– there’s no real wrap-up for anything and the usual teasing hint for future stories is pretty much absent.
Given how Wan, Momoa and the rest brought some knowing fun to a character who has been a joke in the past, it’s all the more disappointing that their follow-up is a bombastic but hollow enterprise, a less-than-satisfying end to a movie universe.
‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ receives 6 out of 10 stars.
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What’s the story of ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’?
Having failed to defeat Aquaman (Jason Momoa) the first time, Black Manta (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II), still driven by the need to avenge his father’s death, will stop at nothing to take Aquaman down once and for all.
This time Black Manta is more formidable than ever before, wielding the power of the mythic Black Trident, which unleashes an ancient and malevolent force. To defeat him, Aquaman will turn to his imprisoned brother Orm (Patrick Wilson), the former King of Atlantis, to forge an unlikely alliance. Together, they must set aside their differences in order to protect their kingdom and save Aquaman’s family, and the world, from irreversible destruction.
Who else is in ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’?
The cast for the new superhero outing also includes Amber Heard as Mera, Nicole Kidman as Atlanna, Dolph Lundgren as King Nereus and Randall Park as Dr. Stephen Shin.
(Left) Henry Cavill as Superman in ‘Man of Steel.’ Photo: Warner Bros. (Center) ‘Foundation’ season 2 showrunner and executive producer David S. Goyer. (Right) Wesley Snipes in ‘Blade.’ Photo: Warner Bros.
David S. Goyer is a man who has had quite the career: he’s worked on a lot of movies, some of which have gone on to giant hits, and others which got stuck in development limbo.
And his success working alongside Christopher Nolan on his Batman trilogy, particularly ‘The Dark Knight’, meant that Warner Bros. considered him a key player when it came to expanding its DC universe to compete with Marvel’s successful early offerings.
According to Goyer, though, the studio was so committed to its game of movie-catch-up, that it was not the most pleasant time to be working with them.
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David S. Goyer on developing DC movies
Henry Cavill as Superman in ‘Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.’
“I know the pressure we were getting from Warner Bros., which was, ‘We need our MCU! We need our MCU!’ And I was like, ‘let’s not run before we walk.’ The other thing that was difficult at the time was that there was this revolving door of executives at Warner Bros. and DC. Every 18 months someone new would come in. We were just getting whiplash. Every new person was like, ‘We’re going to go bigger! I remember at one point the person running Warner Bros. at the time had this release that pitched the next 20 movies over the next 10 years. But none of them had been written yet! It was crazy how much architecture was being built on air… This is not how you build a house.”
Goyer would write the script for ‘Man of Steel’, which helped Zack Snyder kick off his run overseeing the DC cinematic universe. And Goyer certainly knows a lot about building universes, since he’s currently show-running Apple TV+ series ‘Foundation’.
Long before that, and even before he was involved with DC’s output, he was known for his work on the ‘Blade’ movies starring Wesley Snipes.
And, ironically, that was a Marvel adaptation that preceded even the Marvel Cinematic Universe –– some would argue that there might not be an MCU without the success of ‘Blade’.
David S. Goyer talks about ‘Blade’ and David Fincher
(L to R) Gary Oldman and David Fincher. Cr: Miles Crist/NETFLIX.
‘Blade’ in its final form was directed Stephen Norrington. But before he got the job, a slightly more famous filmmaker (albeit in the days when he wasn’t so well known) was in the running.
Here’s what Goyer had to say about Fincher and ‘Blade’:
“I developed a draft with Fincher before he had done ‘Se7en.’ I think he had done ‘Alien 3’ and maybe he was developing ‘Se7en.’ I developed a draft with him. I remember going to our producer’s office… There was this giant conference table. Fincher laid out 40 to 50 books of photography and art with post-it notes inside them. He said, ‘This is the movie.’ He took us on a two-hour tour around the table of the aesthetics of this scene, that character. It was such a fully fleshed out visual pitch… I had never seen something like that before. A lot of that thinking infused my further revisions.”
Oh, to imagine the ‘Blade’ movie that David Fincher would have made! Still, the world is probably better off that he stuck to ‘Se7en’ when the Daywalking vampire warrior’s first movie hit developmental roadblocks.
Gal Gadot as Diana Prince/Wonder Woman in ‘Wonder Woman 1984.’
Speaking before the SAG-AFTRA strike took effect –– but with the interview tied to new Netflix movie ‘Heart of Stone’ –– Gal Gadot whipped (or should that be lassoed) the internet into a frenzy when she offered fresh comments in an interview that indicated current DC Studios bosses James Gunn and Peter Safran have told her a new ‘Wonder Woman’ movie is in development.
Yet, after a little bit of digging and reaching out to sources, trade magazine Variety has learned that it’s not currently true.
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What did Gal Gadot say about a new ‘Wonder Woman’?
Gal Gadot in ‘Superpowered: The DC Story.’ Photograph by Courtesy of Max/Warner Bros.
Potentially looking to keep one of her most successful characters going in a time of huge transition for Warner Bros./DC, Gadot said this about the potentially positive future for Diana Prince:
“It’s so close to and dear to my heart. From what I heard from James and from Peter is that we’re gonna develop a ‘Wonder Woman 3’ together.”
“I was invited to a meeting with James Gunn and Peter Safran, and what they told me, and I’m quoting: ‘You’re in the best hands. We’re going to develop ‘Wonder Woman 3’ with you. [We] love you as Wonder Woman— you’ve got nothing to worry about.’ So, time will tell.”
That stands in stark contrast to co-writer/director Patty Jenkins, who had shepherded ‘Wonder Woman’ and ‘Wonder Woman 1984’ to screens and said in December that her latest draft for a third outing had been rejected by Warners (though not directly Gunn and Safran). Jenkins has stepped away from the franchise, but Gadot is holding on to the idea that she’ll be back in the bulletproof bracelets.
Yet Variety’s sources are telling the title that no such promises were made to the actor, nor is there any active development under way on a ‘Wonder Woman’ title featuring Gadot’s character.
“It’s an origin story of how this society of women came about. What does it mean? What are their politics like? What are their rules? Who’s in charge? What are the games that they play with each other to get to the top. I think it’s really exciting.” It’s set before Diana is born.”
Which is hardly the striding forward motion on a new ‘Wonder Woman’ movie that Gadot might be wishing for.
The way things are shaping up, this may prove to be a fairly lousy Friday for Gadot –– between this and the initial reactions to ‘Heart of Stone’ (a new spy thriller that aims to do for her what ‘Extraction’ did for Chris Hemsworth), she might want to focus on the future of, say, the ‘Red Notice’ movies instead or (spoiler alert for this year’s ‘Fast X’) her return to the ‘Fast & Furious’ franchise.
Gal Gadot attends the Netflix’s Tudum: A Global Fan Event 2023 at Fundação Bienal de São Paulo on June 17, 2023 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Photo by Alexandre Schneider/Getty Images for NETFLIX.
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The movie, which featured the likes of Margot Robbie (in her first outing as Harley Quinn), Will Smith and Viola Davis, arrived in theaters and was quickly given a drubbing by critics. It went on to earn a respectable $746.8 million worldwide at the box office, but when you factor in budget (around $175 million) and marketing costs, it wasn’t seen as a big success. Ayer attributed a lot of that to the studio interfering with his vision, demanding a new cut and releasing an inferior version.
You can find his statement on that via twitter here:
Viola Davis as Amanda Waller in 2016’s ‘Suicide Squad.’
For years, the director has stoked the fires of support for what he calls the “Ayer Cut” of ‘Squad’ to see the light of day, and smacked down detractors who wish he’d stop, especially in light of Warner Bros. and DC moving on with James Gunn’s 2021 effort ‘The Suicide Squad’.
Here’s what Ayer said to someone who questioned his ongoing crusade:
“There’s a genuine curiosity and interest from a lot of people. And I’m aware there is another group of people that have fun mocking the film. Your comment is a perfect example of how many are magnetically drawn to the 2016 film in a negative way. Have you ever had an experience in life that didn’t until the way you wanted, that dragged you, that made you rethink everything? I have.”
He then went on to drop Gunn’s name as a supporter of the film after reportedly having talks with the man in charge of the current iteration of the DC universe on big and small screens:
“All I know is my unseen film plays much better than the studio release. The interest in my cut being show seems real and organic. And Gunn told me it would have it’s time to be shared. He absolutely deserves to launch his DC universe without more drama about old projects. In a way I’m chained to this thing. I’m riding a tiger here and navigating this situation the best I can. Life is a very strange journey.”
You can find Ayer’s full statement on social media here:
Whether the director’s preferred cut ever actually comes out is another matter. There is certainly interest in seeing it, but Gunn’s reassurances do feel a little like a parent telling a child they can have that candy if they behave. Still, there were plenty of naysayers when Snyder was talking up his ‘Justice League’ cut, so stranger things have happened.
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The cast of director David Ayer’s 2016 ‘Suicide Squad.’ Photo courtesy of Warner Bros.
Jason Momoa on the set of ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.’ Photo courtesy of Jason Momoa’s Instagram account.
‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ already had some pressure attached to it. As the sequel to 2018’s ‘Aquaman’ it had to live up to an original movie that earned more than $1.1 billion.
Which for someone like director James Wan, who is also responsible for giant horror franchises such as the ‘Saw’ films and particularly the ‘Conjuring’ franchise, might not be quite as daunting as for others.
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But there were lots of other factors in play around the new movie –– it was greenlit by a former Warner Bros./DC regime (to be specific, Toby Emmerich and Walter Hamada) back when the DC Extended Universe originated by movies such as ‘Man of Steel’ and ‘Justice League’ was still a going concern and Aquaman, played by Jason Momoa was one of its big breakout stars.
But with principal photography completed in January 2022, the rough waters for the movie were just beginning to swirl.
What happened with ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’?
Jason Momoa on the set of ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.’ Photo courtesy of Jason Momoa’s Instagram account.
According to a new story in The Hollywood Reporter, the movie started to face issues almost immediately. The initial test screenings for the movie indicated that audiences weren’t reacting well to the movie.
The studio authorized two rounds of reshoots, but it appears that nothing produced was helping the test scores. Incoming Warner Bros. bosses Michael De Luca and Pamela Abdy got involved, and Abdy led a new cut, but that tested even less successfully.
Yet with a lot invested in the movie, Warners kept moving on, authorizing an unprecedented third round of reshoots –– which reportedly went very well, Wan able to complete what was needed in less time than planned.
A big issue for the film’s process were several delays, including work traffic jams at VFX companies requiring that ‘The Lost Kingdom’ jump around the schedules.
Not helping matters was a killer combo of changing fortunes for DC movies –– Hamada would be gone before the movie ever saw screens and DC Studios changed hands to James Gunn and Peter Safran.
But both were committed to helping Aquaman keep swimming; Safran in particular because he’s a producer on the film.
(L to R) Ben Affleck and Jason Momoa on the set of ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.’ Photo courtesy of Jason Momoa’s Instagram account.
While the movie largely sees Momoa’s Arthur Curry struggling with a new threat to his underwater kingdom (one that will force him to team up with half-brother and former rival Orm, played by Patrick Wilson), there was supposed to be a cameo from Batman.
But which Bruce Wayne? When ‘The Flash’ looked to be kickstarting a universe where Michael Keaton’s Bruce is sort of a Nick Fury-style connective character between other heroes, a cameo for his Batman was filmed. When those plans changed, Ben Affleck’s Wayne was subbed in (that reshoot was “accidentally” revealed by Momoa to a studio tour group).
And now? ‘The Flash’ is a flop and other Keaton-featuring projects such as ‘Batgirl’ have been shelved. Gunn and Safran are reportedly nervous about connecting the film to a movie universe that is effectively over or making promises about crossovers that may never come to pass now that Gunn has his own big plans for the future.
The mood is still positive around ‘The Lost Kingdom’, though, but we’ll see how it performs when it lands in theaters on December 20th.
Jason Momoa in 2018’s ‘Aquaman.’
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‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ is produced by Warner Bros. Pictures, Atomic Monster, The Safran Company, and DC Films. The movie is scheduled to release in theaters on December 20th, 2023.
Speeding straight into your TVs, DC’s latest Superhero movie ‘The Flash’ is expected to be available on PVOD on July 18th.
The film is set after the events ‘Justice League,’ where Barry Allen decides to travel back in time to save his mother – a storyline adapted from the ‘Flashpoint’ comic. Filled with action, cameos, easter eggs, and more.
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The official synopsis for ‘The Flash’ is below:
“Worlds collide in “The Flash” when Barry uses his superpowers to travel back in time in order to change the events of the past. But when his attempt to save his family inadvertently alters the future, Barry becomes trapped in a reality in which General Zod has returned, threatening annihilation, and there are no Super Heroes to turn to. That is, unless Barry can coax a very different Batman out of retirement and rescue an imprisoned Kryptonian… albeit not the one he’s looking for. Ultimately, to save the world that he is in and return to the future that he knows, Barry’s only hope is to race for his life. But will making the ultimate sacrifice be enough to reset the universe?”
‘The Flash’ opened in theaters on June 16, 2023. Initially, the movie was slated to release in July of 2022, but due to the shifting of schedules at Warner Bros., the movie was moved to its 2023 release date. ‘The Flash’ opened to $55 million domestically and so far has grossed $102.9 since its release. Worldwide, the movie has earned $249.1 million.
Longtime comic book fans knew we would be getting the Flashpoint story in ‘The Flash’, which director Andy Muschietti does a great job of adapting. When it comes to the speedster, time travel and meeting one’s younger self is imminent. Ezra Miller plays two Barry Allens in the movie, one that we have met already through previous DC films like ‘Batman v. Superman’ and ‘Justice League.’ The other Barry is younger and has not become The Flash in their timeline, which makes a lot of the scenes and conversation interesting and funny.
The juxtaposition of the two Barrys really makes their interaction fun to watch, especially in scenes with Micheal Keaton’s Batman and Sasha Calle’s Supergirl. On top of the humorous scenes, the movie serves up many emotional moments as well when it comes to Barry and their mom.
DC has always dealt with the multiverse in shows like CW’s ‘The Flash’ and ‘Crisis on Infinite Earth,’ but in Muschietti’s film, we’re seeing the multiverse on a grander scale. We won’t spoil too much just in case you haven’t had the chance to see the movie, but multiverse and dimensional travel means jaw-dropping cameos aplenty.
For example, seeing Michael Keaton putting the cape on once again as Batman, with iconic one-liners like, “I’m Batman,” and “You wanna get nuts? Let’s get nuts.” makes an extremely satisfying moment for the fans. Ben Affleck also appears as his version of the Batman.
Michael Keaton attends a double bill screening of Tim Burton’s ‘Batman’ followed by ‘The Flash,’ in London, England. Photo by Lia Toby/Getty Images for Warner Bros Discovery.
While the film was initially screened at CinemaCon, it was an unfinished version and ‘The Flash’ officially premiered on June 12th, 2023, at the Grauman’s Chinese Theater in Hollywood. Since the movie has only been out for 4 weeks, it is still playing in theaters, so be sure to check with Moviefone below for showtimes in your area. ‘The Flash’ has a total runtime of 2 hours and 24 minutes.
Watch the official trailers for ‘The Flash’ below:
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Can’t make it out to the theater? You will soon have the option to rent or purchase the movie on VOD. Services such as Prime Video, Apple TV, and Google Play will have the movie available digitally for $24.99 on July 18th, 2023. There has been no official word yet on when ‘The Flash’ will stream on Max.
For those who prefer physical copies, ‘The Flash’ should become available on DVD/Blu-Ray by September in formats such as 4K Ultra HD, Blu-Ray, and DVD. Collectors can look forward to an exclusive steelbook edition from Best Buy and an Icon Edition digi-pack set from Walmart. Both are available for pre-order now.
For a moment there, it looked like ‘The Flash’, a remnant of the “Snyderverse” set of DC movies that Warner Bros. (now Warner Bros. Discovery) had pinned its hopes on, would speed to victory.
But with a positive reaction out of April’s CinemaCon event (where even journalists’ social media had been mostly glowing) and ringing endorsements from an eclectic group that included Stephen King, incoming DC Studios boss James Gunn, and superstar/theatrical experience cheerleader Tom Cruise), hopes were higher that final director Andy Muschietti had pulled something off that might be embraced by audiences.
And yet… ‘The Flash’ opened to a dismal $55 million over the June 16th-18th weekend, on par with past DC bomb ‘Watchmen’ ($55.2 million) and not far ahead of infamous stumble ‘Green Lantern’ ($53.5 million), not adjusted for inflation.
In defense of the movie (which we reviewed positively), it was facing an uphill battle. It was a lesser-known character who, despite some comic book recognition a long-running, popular TV series and appearances in the different cuts of the ‘Justice League’ movie, wasn’t a proven draw on its own yet.
Star Ezra Miller, who had played the role with charm and humor against some of the more serious superheroes, didn’t help, racking up a string of controversial personal crises we won’t reheat here, but had been trying to resuscitate their personal reputation with apologies and seeking mental health treatment. They were also mostly kept away from promotion for the film.
Another issue was the movie’s delayed release, which kept it shifting around the schedules.
And finally, the worrying fear of superhero fatigue, which has impacted both DC and Marvel movies of late.
Audiences really do seem to be tiring of watching costumed heroes running/flying around, sprawling parallel dimension stories with endless heroes popping out of portals and big CGI-laden finales.
Even the star name endorsements didn’t move the PR needle.
“It is unfathomable to me why Zas [WBD CEO David Zaslav] and James Gunn promise how wonderful any picture or new plan will be months into the future. The public doesn’t care and isn’t aware of their prognostications. Let the product talk.”
Word of mouth wasn’t great even when it did open –– audiences handed out a B Cinemascore, and reviews were more mixed closer to its arrival.
Said Comscore’s Paul Dergarabedian to the Reporter about the movie:
“‘The Flash’ unfortunately had a rough road to the multiplex and given the complexities and challenges of the marketing and positioning of the film in the marketplace, the number one debut is actually a solid result for the latest from DC Comics in such a crowded and competitive summer season.”
Yet ‘The Flash’ wasn’t the only movie facing problems on its release. Pixar’s ‘Elemental’ also didn’t manage to make much of a dent at the box office.
The latest movie from the animation powerhouse, long considered a champion at the box office, delighting audiences and growing a huge fanbase with its work, had been going through its own relative rough patch.
Corporate parent Disney had not exactly safeguarded the studio’s films –– during the pandemic, it was understandable why movies such a ‘Soul’ and ‘Luca’ might have been pushed to streaming service Disney+, but once theaters started to open up again and audiences seemed happier returning to the movies, it was less defensible for the likes of ‘Turning Red’ to debut primarily on small screens.
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So as ‘Elemental’ –– set in a world of living elements and featuring a love story between the fiery Ember (Leah Lewis) and watery Wade (Mamoudou Athie) –– debuted over the same weekend as ‘The Flash’ with the second-lowest three-day opening (for a wide release) in studio history at an estimated $29.5 million.
The only Pixar film to ever make less than ‘Elemental ‘over a three-day opening was the original ‘Toy Story’, which made $29.1 million over its first three-day weekend. And there’s really no comparing the two, since ‘Toy Story’ opened in 1995, when cinema tickets were much less expensive, debuted on 1,500 fewer screens than ‘Elemental’.
It also follows the poor performance of last year’s ‘Lightyear’, the movie (with its loose ‘Toy Story’ connections) that was supposed to have brought Pixar soaring back to theatrical. Instead, it crashed and burned, and several of the people who worked on the movie lost their jobs in the latest round of Disney layoffs.
‘Elemental’, of course, had no such connections to help sell it, but its originality was also seen as its own positive: in a world of sequels, reboots and franchises, it could help boost the cause of films not based on IP. Unfortunately, the relative lack of recognition (even from a hugely popular team such as Disney/Pixar) didn’t get people into theaters.
The new movie did at least warrant an A from Cinemascore’s polling of cinema customers, which points to potential legs, especially since there aren’t a lot of family movies headed our way at the moment.
Both Warner Bros. Discovery and Disney/Pixar are unlikely to be too affected by all of this drama, aside from when they have to justify spending to shareholders. Both companies have a robust slate on hand (albeit impacted by the ongoing WGA strike) and plenty of money to spend on upcoming releases.
Warners has ‘Blue Beetle’ and the ‘Aquaman’ sequel ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ waiting in the wings and is keeping its fingers crossed that Gunn can rejuvenate its superhero fortunes with his new DC Studios output. Disney has many subsidiaries to generate movies and income, and Pixar has its next movie, ‘Elio’, scheduled to arrive next March (like ‘Elemental’ it is once again gambling on another original story). And we’re not likely to see the end of the comic book genre or animated movies anytime soon. But there are surely lessons to be learned from both of these flops.
Warner Bros. Pictures presents a Double Dream/a Disco Factory production of an Andy Muschietti film, ‘The Flash.’ It will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures and is set to open in theaters in North America on June 16, 2023 and internationally beginning 14 June 2023.
